HOUSTON — Two days after coming from behind to beat the Mariners with a walk-off home run, the Astros were still reveling in the electrifying energy of victory. They channeled that sentiment Thursday, defeating the Mariners again, this time 4-2 to dominate the two-game series to none.
Ahead of Thursday’s start, Astros pitcher Framber Valdez said Wednesday that when Yordan Alvarez came to the plate on Tuesday with two runners on board, “the team knew something good was going to happen.” The key to Game 2 after Alvarez’s Game 1 walk-off homer, Valdez said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter, is to keep that positive attitude.
“I think it’s really important for us to continue that energy,” Valdez said.
Like Valdez, Astros manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday that maintaining the momentum from Tuesday’s game was crucial for Game 2.
“What games like this do excites the fans, excites us,” Baker said. “It goes top down, to the fans, to the office workers, to the janitors, to everyone in the organization just trying to think positively about a result of the game.”
The Astros maintained that positivity for Game 2, counting again on Alvarez, who went deep again Thursday. This time, Alvarez hit a two-run home run into left field at the end of the sixth, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead for the Astros.
“He’s a big boy,” Baker said of Alvarez after the game. “I call him Grande. He’s going to be big. We love having him on the plate. He likes to be in the big moment. His concentration and discipline are way ahead of his age.”
Valdez started Thursday’s game efficiently, finishing the day’s first eight Mariners batters. He was assisted by Kyle Tucker, who hit a solo home run to right field in the second inning.
Valdez struggled in the fourth, giving up a walk and then a double with an out and setting the stage for Carlos Santana with runners in second and third.
Santana hit a short ground ball that Valdez set up. He tried to get the ball out at home but misthrew his catcher Martín Maldonado and gave up a run. The error prompted Astros pitching coach Josh Miller and Maldonado to visit the mound.
The Astros threw Santana to the base paths after the error, but Valdez then gave up another run when Dylan Moore lined a single to right field. But he quickly settled back down in the fifth inning, retiring with three straight batters with back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout.
Valdez started untangling again in the sixth inning, charging the bases with two outs with a walk, a double and another walk.
That was enough for Baker, who pulled Valdez out of the game and challenged right-hander Héctor Neris from the bullpen. Neris helped the Astros escape the inning unscathed with a groundout.
The Astros took the lead in the bottom half with Alvarez’s homer to left field bringing in Jeremy Peña, who had singled to get to base.
After the game, Alvarez said he tries to imagine every possibility when he’s batting.
“I just try to detach from everything when I go to the plate,” he said. “If everything goes according to plan, we will have a positive result. Apparently there’s still a pitcher out there trying to get me out.
Alex Bregman, Houston’s third baseman, said after the game that Alvarez not only came through offensively but also outfield for the team.
“He’s been a great clutch for us all year,” said Bregman. “Not only offensively, but also defensively. He made super clutch defensive plays. He has all the tools. He can run, he can punch, he can punch for power, he can throw, he can play defense.”
Although starter Luis Castillo conceded a second home run, he stayed in the game and started bottom of the seventh. Castillo had been serving effectively all afternoon, going into seventh with 75 pitches.
After recording two outs, Castillo gave a double to Aledmys Díaz, but he managed to get out of the inning without giving up another run. Castillo ended his day with seven strikeouts in seven innings and three earned runs from two homers.
The Mariners managed to board runners in the seventh and eighth innings but failed to score as right-handers Bryan Abreu and Rafael Montero helped the Astros maintain their lead.
At the end of the round of 16, Peña walked with two outs, paving the way for Alvarez to add an insurance run, but the Mariners walked him on purpose.
Baker compared the Mariners walking to Alvarez when teams would walk Barry Bonds, something Baker has seen many times in his 10 seasons managing the Giants.
“It was a bit of Barry Bonds-esque stuff,” Baker said. “I mean, that’s the ultimate respect.”
Mariners manager Scott Servais said after the game that Alvarez’s home run in game six played into the team’s decision to accompany him to his next plate appearance.
“Obviously he’s done us harm in this series,” Servais said. “He’s hot right now. You have to recognize that.”
Bregman was able to take advantage and hit a single into right field to put Peña in play, who defeated Mitch Haniger’s throw to home plate and extended the Astros’ lead to 4-2.
The Astros sent Ryan Pressly to the mound in the top of the ninth to end the game. Pressly led Adam Frazier to the start of the inning and then got JP Crawford to put himself in an unassisted doubles game.
With two outs, Julio Rodríguez hit a double in midfield, giving Ty France a chance to keep the Mariners in the game, but Pressly beat France to give the Astros the win.
The Astros and Mariners will now travel to Seattle for Game 3 on Saturday, which will be Seattle’s first postseason game since October 2001. If needed, teams would also play Game 4 in Seattle on Sunday and then return to Houston for Game 5 on Monday.
Peña said after the game in the clubhouse that the Astros know “the job isn’t done yet” and head to Seattle with a 2-0 lead in the series.
“I expect them to show up,” Peña said of the Mariners. “I expect their stadium to rock too.”